Welcome Home
by Shiori Chai
Summary: Jude works late and goes home, his lover still gone. But not for long. . .


Pairings: ?/Jude, Alvin/Milla  
Warnings: Yaoi  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Tales of Series. I love playing the games. If you don't like, don't read! Not beta-ed too.

P.S. Even though I do not write anywhere: Review if you wish :) I will help me with my writing skills.

* * *

Jude sighed as he stretched his back and worked out the kinks in his neck. Besides checking patients and prescribing medicine for the sick, he had a ton of paperwork to do. The nurses took advantage of his kind nature to dump their work to him. He didn't mind so much, it just frustrated him when they tried to lie about their "Important Errands" that they "absolutely" had to go do. They would vanish for hours if he gave in to their pleading. On top of his medical duties, he was still exploring the spyrite research and helping to convince people of Rieze Maxia and Elmpyios that this was the better energy source to sustain both nations.

"_Has it really been six months already" _

He leaned back into his black leather, wheeled chair and rested his left arm over his eyes. He was in need of a vacation soon. The stress is building up and he did not have a release for it. He tried working out but with no suitable partner to train with, he would only end up hurting other people and having to treat them. Going out into the field was a no too. Even if he could, there are people within the city that needed his ability on an almost daily basis. He could not stray far.

Jude's mind became hazy as he thought about his former companions and comrades.

Elize and Rowen went back to Sharilton to stay with Driselle. Elize had started school once summer was over and according to his last letter from her, she was doing very well and made lots of new friends. She even carried Teepo around though the doll floats more than being carried. Elize has blossomed into a beautiful young woman.

Rowen stayed in Sharilton for a few weeks before he resigned from being the Sharil's head butler. He then traveled to Kanbalar to meet with King Gaius. He had met with Gaius upon request and asked to become a council member to help with the governing of Rieze Maxia. Gaius gave Rowen an even better offer: the job of being the Prime Minister of Rieze Maxia. Rowen had graciously accepted and began working immediately. From his letters, he is thriving at the new job as well as handling each new challenge with a passionate vigor.

Alvin had gone back to Elmpyios for a few months to reconnect with his cousin. He came back to Rieze Maxia recently and was now living in Nia Khera, which was a huge surprise. It seems like he has found peace with the small settlement, the frequent monster requests plus odd jobs keeping him busy when he was not being lazy at Milla's house.

'_Their house now'_ Jude thought with a smile.

When Alvin revealed that he had fallen in love with Milla, everyone was shocked. Alvin's reason: the young woman's determination and conviction made her beautiful (with the bonus of her shapely figure) and gave him hope for the future. Milla was humbled and even admitted, despite Alvin's betrayal, that she is fond of him. The only problem, and it really was the only problem, was Milla being Maxwell, the Lord of Spirits. She is required to stay in the Spirit Realm for a definite amount of time to keep it stable. She is allowed certain times to stay in the human realm but she had given up her humanity to create a world for both spirits and humans.

Alvin wasn't disheartened by the prospect of never truly being with Milla because he had promised to become a spirit after he died. For now, he is raising their two-year old adopted daughter, Jill, and living a quiet life.

As for Leia, she finally found a man to handle her wild but lovable nature and scored a job that she absolutely loved. After returning to Leronde, Leia had quit being a nurse and took up her mother's previous profession: a martial art instructor. She had earned her certificate of Mastery on her first try in Fennmont which, is also where she met Vince. A native Auj Oule from a tribe of fighters, Vince was able to hold his own against Leia during their first match. He ended up losing because he hesitated to finish the fight. Leia was not happy and demanded a rematch but the judges voted that both are of master level and awarded them with their titles. The two had settled their unfinished match at Leia's dojo which ended with her losing. Both had hit off after that and Vince eventually worked up the nerve to ask Leia's mom for permission to date her daughter.

Three months later Leia becomes engaged and looking more radiant than ever. Vince is a good man and he will be able to make and keep Leia happy.

Removing his arm, Jude sat up and picked up his favorite pen. It was given to him by Leia. She had found it at the market in Sharilton and had to send it immediately. Unlike her birthday mail failures, she had confidently sent off the pen. The pen itself was black with tiny fragments of silver and gold. The silver swirled up the pen with a unique design of curves and curls while the gold was laid in a straight pattern, each speck was nestled between every major swirl of the silver. Overall, the pen reminded him of Fennmont, the former night clime being his favorite of all the climes before they vanished.

He continued to work for a few more hours until it was 8:30pm. He pushed away from his desk and did a full body stretch to the point his back protested. Now he wished for a massage, even if it was the four spirits that did it. Efreet's fire and Gnome's rocks would do amazing wonders on his sore back. Jude leaned forward slowly so he would not agitate the muscles. He concentrated for a few seconds before summoning a small water spirit to heal the muscles in his back. The water spirit moved through his shoulder blades and down his spine, causing him to shiver slightly. The spirit touched different muscles in its search for the pain though the cool feeling made Jude feel ticklish. The spirit found the right muscles and moved through them, healing the red, pulsing tissues and applying its healing properties to last for about 5 minutes before dispelling back into the atmosphere. Jude sighed as the spirit left; he felt much better now. He pushed himself out of his chair and straightened up his desk. He put on his over coat, turned off the lamp light and left his office.

"Night ladies" Jude called as he exited the Healer Wing.

"Good night Dr. Mathis" the three overnight nurses replied before they went back to typing and filing their work.

Oh, how he wished his own nurses were that diligent.

Jude smiled to himself as he tucked his jacket closer to himself while the front door swished open. Biting cold immediately nipped at his face and exposed skin. He flipped his hood over his head which lessened the cold but he knew that he could not dally outside. It was mid-Winter in Kanbalar, which spelled trouble for those not use to the near-year around cold. Heavy snow was coming down and it made the road ahead blurry and hard to see. Fortunately for Jude, he was used to the cold.

Somewhat.

He had moved to Kanbalar about five months ago because of a strange request. Gaius had sent him a royal letter asking for his presence at Kanbalar within a week's time. Gaius had left out any clues about what the problem was. Jude had left Talim Medical Clinic with a day's advance notice that he would be gone for a while and then caught the next ship leaving for Lakutam Seahaven. It took the boat a day and a half to reach the Seahaven but Jude did not stop to rest. He had secured his belongs to be mailed express priority to Kanbalar while he took his wallet and keys with him on his long journey to the capital. There were carriages headed for but the capital but they would not make it on his schedule. He had three days left but he had been confident and swift on his route that he made it with one day to spare. Jude had promptly collapsed in his hotel room and had slept the extra day away. The cleaning staff had awoken him like he had requested and had delivered his belongings to his room. Jude had bathed, changed clothes, had eaten a hearty breakfast before catching the first air-car to the castle and being one of the few early risers to see Gaius. From there, his life had changed…

Jude turned right and walked to the center of the castle town. The shops were closed for the night because of the storm and the street lamps provided little balls of light, guiding Jude to the air car station. The air car station has made some improvements since the time he first saw them. The once open-air station was now a building that provided shelter to the crowds as they waited to catch a ride. Inside the building is a cashier counter that serviced six people at a time, row of comfy cushion benches, bathrooms for men and women and even a small play area to keep little children entertained. King Gaius had it constructed for the wellbeing of his people and it was well received.

Jude lightly moaned as he walked into the air-car station, the toasty warmth making his body shiver as it tried to restore his normal body temperature. He rubbed his hands against his arms as he walked up to the cashier counter. He bought one ticket for a ride up to the castle and sat down an empty seat near by the boarding entrance. Five minutes later, he is sitting in an air-car heading up the mountain. A little ways down sat a young couple. They were holding hands while whispering to each other. Every now and then, the young woman would let out a small laugh at her companion's words. They kissed often too. The sounds of their lips smacking disturbed Jude but in secret, he was jealous of their openness. He wished he could be open with his affections for his lover but. . . .

'_No. I can't think like that. It's only the circumstances' _

Jude knew he was making excuses. He really felt like holding hands and kissing out in the open too. Just once he felt like being a normal couple and not having to care about the rest of the world. He let out a heavy sigh and got off the air-car at his stop. The blistering cold made him snuggle further into his coat as head trudged up the stairs to the castle. He nodded to the on-duty guards as he pasted by and went inside the looming castle. Its unique but tasteful decorations were lit up by the wall lamps and shadows moved and danced with the flickering fires.

Jude walked down the hall to the left of the center and stopped upon reaching his room. The room was furnished to fit his style: neat, orderly, a huge stack of medical books along with other interesting titles. His desk had papers stacked in neat piles depending on importance along with binders and folders of his research and patient records. The closet and personal bathroom were beside each other to the right of his desk. The walk-in closet has more space than he needed but the bathroom has a standing shower the let out water like a gently waterfall and the in-ground bath tub reminded him of a pool. A pool of warm water that removed his aches and pains from work and the cold. He had a queen sized bed with black, silver and blue bed sheets, pillows, and blanket. He had wanted a small bed but the softness and expansive space was extremely hard to give up. Plus it was the perfect fit for other activities. . .

Jude took off his overcoat and doctor's coat and placed on his coat rack. He went into the bathroom and turned the taps for bath; setting the right temperature before walking to his room He stripped off his work scrubs and threw them into his hamper. Best perk of living in the castle was that he did not do his laundry; though he tried to leave as little work as possible.

Angry maids were devious maids.

Grabbing a fresh bath robe, Jude went back into the bathroom and shut off the taps. He set the bath robe on the sink counter before getting into the bath tub. This time he moaned out loud. The water was just right, hot but not scolding and the added minerals would make rejuvenate his tired body. Jude laid still for minute as he soaked in the water. His mind began to wonder. . .

* * *

_Large hands caressed his relaxed body as he laid on his side with his back to his lover. The hands explored from the curve of his shoulder to the soles of his feet; fingers teasing gently. Jude whimpered. He was already on edge. Their foreplay had lasted longer than he thought it would, hid lover obviously seeking to drive him crazy with want and need._

"_Please" Jude gasped as one of the hands pasted of his straining erection. _

_His lover hummed but did not do anything other than run his hands over Jude's body again. His nipples were teased as the feeling of his lover's tongue slide up his neck. Jude shuddered and tugged at his restraints. He would have ended this long ago but with his hands now tied to the bedpost with silk and the strict order of not to struggle or attempt to relieve himself, he was stuck._

_And horny as hell!_

"_Please please, oh Spirits, please!" Jude moaned out as his lover finally took pity on him and started to lightly stroke his aching cock._

"_Please what, Jude?" His lover teased. His hot breath making Jude shiver and gasp with need._

"_Take me now dammit!" Jude begged, his head falling back into the pillow as his body arched uncontrollably._

"_With pleasure" Was the reply before Jude's world exploded with searing pleasure with a slight hint of pain._

* * *

Jude shivered as he awakened from his day-dream, his body feeling hot. To his utter embarrassment, his body had reacted to the memory. He was half-hard and it wasn't going away anytime soon. He sighed as he let his hands wonder and touch his body. It has been a long time since he last been with his lover and he hadn't touched him in that time. His hands slid slowly up his chest and he spent a moment pinching his nipples, imagining it was his lover's hands. One hand went back down his body with light, teasing touch and then closed around his filled cock. He teased himself as he continued to think about his lover. The pleasure built slowly, coiling in his stomach with increasing intensity.

Jude bit his lip as he debated taking his play further. He doubt that he would get off on just touching himself. If only—

"Don't stop now. I am enjoying the view Jude" The deep voice said with amusement and want.

Jude gasped as he jumped and covered himself while whipping around. He felt like he had been caught red-handed.

'_He's here. Oh Spirits, he came back!' _

"Gaius!" Jude cried as he stood up.

The Rieze Maxia king smiled as he gazed at his small lover.

"I missed you Jude. I see that you missed me as well" Gaius said as he walked into the bathroom with nothing but a bathrobe robe, which barely covered his tall frame.

Jude did not answer but held out his arms and the king returned the embrace.

"Welcome home" Jude whispered as he hugged Gaius tightly.

"It's good to be home" Gaius replied before stepping out of the hug and disrobing. Jude sat back into the hot water before moving to lay against Gaius's chest after the man sat into the tub. Well-muscled arms snaked around Jude's torso and pulled him closer. Long, silky black hair fell around his right shoulder as Gaius laid his head against it. A deep sigh blew across his back and Jude worried about his lover's health. Gaius is known all across Rieze Maxia as to be the strongest man alive. His impressive sword skills, along with the abnormal sword itself, made people be in awe of his prowess. Jude was happy and secretly glad during the times that Gaius would come home, unscathed. There were moments when his lover would come home with a new scar. Jude would feel like helpless and angry for not being there but Gaius always reassured him with kisses and calm logic.

The couple relaxed in the bath for a while, kissing often and rubbing each other's sensitive areas.

"Jude, let's go to bed now" Gaius whispered into Jude's ear.

Jude shivered as desire spiked through his loins.

"Ok" he replied.

The couple got out of the bath and dried of with their towels before retiring to Jude's bed. Jude crawled on top of the bed and laid down on his back. Blushing faintly, he displayed himself to his lover and teasing bit his lip. Gaius stood near the edge of bed and gazed down at the tempting treat spread out before him. It is good to be home.

* * *

It was near dawn when the two settled down for rest. Jude laid on his side, his head tucked near Gaius's neck and one arm flung across his chest. Gaius had an arm wrapped around his waist, his hand resting on Jude's stomach; his face was resting near the top of Jude's head. Jude felt sleep tug at his mind.

"Love you" Gaius whispered.

"Love you too" Jude said back.

"We'll spend tomorrow together. I checked your schedule. The other doctors will fill in for you. I have Rowen managing any meetings as well. You're all mine" Gaius murmured, placing a light kiss on Jude's forehead.

Happiness bubbled up inside Jude.

"Sounds good" Jude wasn't going to argue. He needed a break anyways.

"Sleep love" Gaius whispered before his breathing slowed and he dropped off to sleep.

'_He must have been more tired than he let on' _Jude thought with a bit of guilt.

Even so, Jude is very glad to have Gaius home. Tomorrow will be their day.

* * *

Gaius with Jude...seems legit lol  
Spoiler: Gaius's line about Jude coming to serve him if he survived the fall through the marsh sprung all kinds of wild ideas about the pair.

Hope you enjoyed it!


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